Image: the SPLC's Morris Dees is a top flight fundraiser but his witch hunting skills seem to be slipping

An immigration reform organization is accusing the Southern Poverty Law Center of manipulating crime data and terminology in a last ditch attempt to stop the immigration debate.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has sent out a release claiming the number of hate groups and hate crimes has significantly increased over the last few years. In addition, the SPLC suggests the national debate over immigration reform has fueled the increase.

Bob Dane is a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), one of the groups targeted by the SPLC. He argues the SPLC is trying to silence those who want to secure the nation's borders.

"The SPLC is engaged in political retaliation, trying to discredit Americans who want an open, above-board, and transparent discussion of the immigration debate," he maintains.

The SPLC is late to the hatebaiting game on immigration. The National Council of La Raza attempted a similar stunt in January and February, accusing even CNN of harboring "racists" who dare to question mass Third World immigration. Unsurprisingly, the campaign flopped. People are simply too hard pressed by real life problems caused by immigration to care about such smears. By accusing anyone and everyone who doesn't agree with them of "racism," the SPLC make themselves look like the fringe kooks they are.